Special Guest Star: John de Lancie as Discord Written by Meghan McCarthy

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The episode begins with the group arriving in the Crystal Empire for Twilight's royal duties in helping to greet dignitaries of Maretonia. The job is pretty simple and hardly worth the trip, making Twilight feel she isn't doing enough as a princess. However Celestia, Luna and Cadance assure her she's just as important as they are.

During all this, a mysterious cloaked being who calls himself Tirek drains the magic out of a unicorn, causing the pony's cutie mark to fade and empowering Tirek himself. Celestia and Luna see this in a vision, and they gather Cadance and Twilight, explaining Tirek's past. Long ago, he and his brother, Scorpan, came to Equestria from a far off land to steal its magic. However, Scorpan came to appreciate the ponies and befriended them. He tried to get Tirek to do the same, but when he refused, Scorpan alerted Luna and Celestia to his scheme. Tirek was stopped and imprisoned in Tartarus, while Scorpan returned to his own land. When Cerberus left his post, Tirek managed to escape. Twilight assumes that this will be her chance to contribute something by stopping Tirek, but Celestia corrects her, saying the one to stop Tirek is to be Discord.

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Twilight returns to Ponyville and informs her friends, who are in disbelief of the decision, save Fluttershy. However, Twilight once more feels rejected and heads to the Castle of the Two Princesses to keep herself busy, with the rest of her friends tagging along to keep her company. As they near the castle, Discord meets up with them and somewhat rubs it in Twilight's face. However, he does bring up a point about the Tree of Harmony and the mysterious locked box and how it can help her prove herself as a princess before heading off to find Tirek. Seeing that he's right, Twilight and her friends head to the castle and see if they can find any books to help. When none come up, Twilight refers to the friendship journal which Discord has helpfully bookmarked.

Meanwhile, Discord confronts Tirek and easily captures him. However, Tirek appeals to Discord's former nature as the master of chaos, and offers to share Equestria when they take it over. Discord finds himself tempted by the offer. Back at the castle, Twilight realizes that all the trinkets they gained over the season could be the Keys they need, having been given to each of them by somepony whose life they changed for the better, after sticking with their element despite great temptation. They gather the objects and try to figure out how to activate them. It's only when Pinkie throws Boneless toward the chest in frustration does the rubber chicken suddenly turn into a key and fit into one of the slots. The others do the same, but Twilight's key is still missing and she hasn't received it yet.

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Twilight is then summoned to Canterlot by Celestia to inform her of Discord's betrayal. With no one to stop him, Tirek has free rein to drain ponies across the land. Soon, he will come for their alicorn magic, and with it will be unstoppable. To prevent this, Celestia sees there is only one option: the princesses must give up their magic so Tirek can't take it!

Tropes:

Achievements in Ignorance: "I don't think it works that way, Pinkie." While interrogating an inanimate rubber chicken won't get the Key of Laughter, throwing it at the Harmony Box actually does transform Boneless (the rubber chicken) into the Key of Laughter.

Adaptational Badass: The original Tirek was no pushover by a long shot, the original Vile Villain, Saccharine Show, but his main threat was being the wielder of the Rainbow of Darkness and having an army whom he mutated with it at his command. Lord Tirek? He has no army and is still such a massive threat that sending Discord after him is considered the best means of defeating him. Somewhat played with, though — he starts out far weaker than G1 Tirek due to his imprisonment, and Discord was sent out because his abilities let him sense Tirek's magic and track him down effortlessly. It's only after he drains enough ponies that he becomes a real threat.

Ambition Is Evil: Tirek was corrupted by the promise of power that stealing pony magic would bring him so he willingly made himself a mortal enemy to Equestria.

Anachronic Order: The order of the acquisition of the Keys in the friendship journal is different from the order of the episodes with the acquisition of the Keys.

Many ponies feared that someone may have been able to escape Tartarus, especially when Cerberus was away, for a while now. Cue Tirek to confirm those fears.

Discord had only promised to be good "Most of the time..." He goes back to evil the moment his friendship with Fluttershy is not enough. And since they gave up the Elements of Harmony, the only thing powerful enough to stop him otherwise...

As You Know: "I can't believe we had to give up the Elements of Harmony."

Badass Bystander: During the montage of Tirek and Discord steamrolling over Equestria, quite a few background ponies are shown bravely trying to fight back. Noteworthy is the first to fire off a magical blast at them, while a mob of pegasi (including the Wonderbolts and Derpy) try to swarm them.

"Be Quiet!" Nudge: Applejack hit Spike on the head for making Twilight feel worse by questioning her not-so-important task of rolling out the royal banner for the visiting dignitaries.

Big Bad: Lord Tirek, who incidentally is a revamp of the original MLP Big Bad.

Blank White Eyes: Tirek's victims have all the color removed from their eyes, leaving only a greyscale pupil.

Tartarus was first mentioned back in "It's About Time" as a prison for all the evil creatures in Equestria. When Cerberus got loose, Twilight tried bringing him back before any of the monsters could escape. As this episode reveals, she missed one...

The mysterious chest from the Tree of Harmony introduced in "Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2" once again plays a part, this time having Twilight focusing all her efforts on opening it in the hopes of saving Equestria.

Celestia previously mentioned being able to use Discord's magic for good rather than evil as the reason to de-stone him back in "Keep Calm and Flutter On".

Discord says he has been doing a little light reading, and the book that he is "lightly reading" happens to be the Friendship Journal. The book has bookmark tabs that represent five of the six colors (excluding Twilight's purple) that have been used to denote the Keys for the box.

Tirek's brother Scorpan is shown in the story flashback to go off with a unicorn wizard; though the name is not said, this is clearly meant to be Star Swirl the Bearded, based on similar imagery from "Three's a Crowd".

Once more, Fluttershy is the only one of the Mane Six to find Discord's antics rather amusing.

Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: Twilight feels insecure for not having special duties like Celestia, Luna, and Cadance. It's so bad that when she discovers the threat of Tirek, she sees it as fate giving her a chance to prove her worth as a princess, even going as far as to try to open the chest so that she can beat Tirek before Discord does.

The necklace Tirek wears in the present is the same one Scorpan is shown wearing during their backstory.

Discord-as-a-pony's cutie mark resembles a cyclone or tornado. Appropriate for the spirit of chaos.

Funny Background Event: When Discord dresses up in a big, silly alicorn horn, wings, and crown, the Mane Cast all give him funny glances... except for Fluttershy, who appears to be giggling to herself.

Greed: Absolute Power is the only thing that Tirek wants and respects, no matter the cost.

Godzilla Threshold: Since Lord Tirek has the power to drain ponies of their magic (and in effect take away their cutie marks), local Mad God Discord is tasked with catching him. Discord's ability to sense magical disruptions makes him the only one capable of finding Tirek before his power grows too great, in addition to being so powerful that Tirek does not yet have the strength to drain him as he does ponies.

Hannibal Lecture: Discord has Tirek in chains and hopelessly outmaneuvered and outpowered. However, he lets slip a few personal details and Tirek uses them to seduce him into a FaceHeel Turn.

Hell Is That Noise: Tirek's magic drain is accompanied by a rather chilling screeching sound.

Huddle Shot: When Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Spike and Twilight are examining the objects that will become the Keys, the point of view is from the floor.

Hypocritical Humor: Rainbow Dash points out that Spike had bragged during the train ride about how he'd saved the Crystal Empire the last time they were there. Rarity reminds Rainbow Dash that she's fond of boasting about her own exploits.

Informed Attribute: Deconstructed. Twilight Sparkle's princesshood serving only a minor role throughout the season leads her to question why she even is a princess.

It's All About Me: Downplayed, but Twilight wanting to defeat Tirek is more out of self-validation regarding her worth as a princess rather than the right thing to do. Similarly, her wanting to open the chest is more out of desire to defeat Tirek before Discord does. She drops the attitude once Celestia calls her to inform her about Discord's betrayal.

It Was with You All Along: It turns out the book Twilight needed to research the crystal chest was the journal she and her friends had been keeping, and the gifts they received were actually the keys in disguise.

"I Want" Song/Pep-Talk Song: Twilight laments that she doesn't have any actual duties in her first song. Later, Celestia, Luna, and Cadance sing to her to assure her that she has a place in helping Equestria.

Jumping Out of a Cake: Discord bursts out of a huge cake he just materialized by himself while talking with Tirek.

Last-Second Chance: According to Tirek's backstory, his brother Scorpan tried this after having a HeelFace Turn, trying to convince him to abandon their plans. Tirek wouldn't listen, so Scorpan had no choice but to arrange for him to be imprisoned in Tartarus.

Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Spike says he remembers the events of "Equestria Games" like it was yesterday. It was the previous episode.

"Leave Your Quest" Test: Lord Tirek tempts Discord to abandon his friendship with the Mane Six (and not incidentally, his mission to capture Tirek).

Love Makes You Dumb: Lord Tirek realizes Discord's new weakness (his fondness for friendship) and takes advantage of it by coaxing him into joining forces with him. Discord didn't join sides with Tirek For the Evulz, he did it because Tirek offered him friendship, not even considering the possibility of betrayal.

Magic A Is Magic A: A very specific "your role is based on your talent" variant is featured heavily in the refrain of "You'll Play Your Part". As Princesses of the Day and Night, Celestia and Luna's magics are tied to their roles in raising and lowering the sun and moon, respectively, and Cadance's love magic is what helps her protect the Crystal Empire; the clear implication is that Twilight's role as Princess will be tied to her Element of Magic in the Elements of Harmony.

Mana Drain: Lord Tirek can drain pony magic to increase his own power, which not only takes their regular magic but also their cutie mark and eye color. As his power grows, he is able to steal pegasi flight and the natural strength of earth ponies, with his ultimate goal being the magic of the alicorn princesses.

Morphic Resonance: Discord's alternate shapes, like the bird one, still reflect his Fashionable Asymmetry colors. Downplayed when turned into a stallion, as it would give him away, but he still keeps the overall color scheme of his head (including that of his blue goat horn for the unicorn horn).

My Significance Sense Is Tingling: Discord is tasked with tracking down Tirek because he has the ability to sense the magical disruptions that come with Tirek draining a pony.

Mythology Gag: Tirek was originally the villain in the first My Little Pony TV Special. Scorpan is mentioned in Lord Tirek's backstory, and both have designs very reminiscent of their original forms, and also ends up betraying Tirek. In a larger sense, this two-parter is a celebration of the 30th anniversary (late by one month) of My Little Pony as a cartoon franchise.

Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!: Twilight's friends try to reassure her that her role as the princess is important and there's a good reason she was summoned to the Crystal Empire. It turns out to only roll out the royal banner for the visiting dignitaries. Spike questions this not-so-important task, making her feel worse.

Orbital Shot: Twilight has one towards the end of "You'll Play Your Part" as she is looking up at the princesses flying around her.

Plot Parallel: Twilight's disappointment with not having been given much responsibility as a princess in the year since she became an alicorn is understandable, but in the Pep-Talk Song, Luna alludes to how she had lost her own role during her 1000 year imprisonment as Nightmare Moon and the years after her reform before everypony accepted her back as Princess of the Night.

Recruiting the Criminal: Princess Celestia sends Discord to track down the magic-stealing Lord Tirek. This backfires badly once Tirek coaxes Discord into returning to his villainous roots.

Royals Who Actually Do Something: Twilight spends most of the episode lamenting how she hasn't been given much to do as a princess other than "smile and wave" and unfurl a banner for some visiting dignitaries, and is especially distraught when Celestia tasks Discord over her with tracking down the escapee from Tartarus. Twilight is finally given a role at the end of the episode when the other princesses inform her that they must rid themselves of their magic to protect it from Tirek.

Ship Tease: A few of Fluttershy and Discord's moments show them being very close, plus the passing mention of the two having a get-together for tea. When confronting Tirek, Discord tells him he's only capturing him for Fluttershy's sake. He also has a photo of him and Fluttershy together.

Tirek: I am LordTirek, and I will take what should have been mine long ago.

Vile Villain, Saccharine Show: The original Tirek was the long-running king of this trope for awhile. This Lord Tirek lives up to the original's vileness, as a creature quite literally from the pits of the Underworld.

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